I am sure there is no need to impress on you the importance of worshiping and doing good deeds during the next few weeks.  The reward of a single good deed is a thousand times more during Ramadan and we are blessed to be the followers of Allah’s religion in which opportunities of such deeds come in quick succession.  Even if our minds are not complying, our hearts are aching to find the inner peace our soul requires.  With the worldly matters distracting us, it is difficult to heed the advice. In light of these circumstances, how can we make the best of Ramadan?

Prioritize

Sometimes in lieu of necessary things, we squeeze in that extra work that is not necessary.  Doing so is a natural habit that we have accumulated throughout the year and as this month of blessings come by, we have developed a habit of “getting things done.”  As the answer to the problem, I have learned to procrastinate.  No need to scream in horror, procrastinating on things that are not going to effect you tomorrow is, actually, quite wise.  There are many sisters who are with me, I am sure.  (If your heart is palpitating to the thought and perspiration appears on your forehead, go to the next option.) You can put away that cleaning for a while, or the club meeting that you usually go to, or an assignment to “get ahead” in class.  Push that extra credit assignment that is dying to be touched to the future.  There is no need to pick up the phone call from your BFF telling you of the amazing hijab she saw in Al-Shams Market. Ignoring the non-essentials will provide you with time enough for prayers and Qur’an while giving you the opportunity to fulfill your other requirements.  If you still find yourself with a day wasted, then choose…

Plan B

Procrastination is not always so easy. Some things you just cannot leave behind.  You have to pick them up and finish them tonight.  “The assignment has to be turned in or you are risking a failing grade!”  If this is your scenario, ask yourself this: Can this wait ten minutes?  All you need to do is make a sincere intention, pick up that Qur’an or the prayer beads, set up a timer if you must, and dhikr away.  However, the condition of following this advice is sincere devotion.  When an act is carried out with pure love for Allah and a desire to be near Him, it is rewarded with the amount of blessings we can never apprehend.  Devotion to Allah’s remembrance being the key, those ten minutes can be your ticket to Paradise, with Allah’s Mercy of course.

When the timer rings to inform you of ten minutes-well-spent, make the intention of doing it again after the matter at hand is addressed.  When we make a good intention and do not carry out it, we get rewarded for at least intending to do so.  There is nothing to lose, right?

Gabriel (peace be upon him) filled the cave with light, and Muhammad clearly saw someone with a mysterious piece of parchment. He commanded Muhammad to “Recite!” three times before Muhammad , shaken, asked what he should read. It was then that the first five verses of the Quran were revealed, from Surat Al-Alaq:

“Read in the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot. Read, for your Lord is most Generous, Who teaches by means of the pen, teaches man what he does not know.” (96: 1-5)

Tired and shell-shocked, he returned home in a state of fear and asked Khadijah to, “Cover me, cover me.” The tactful, intelligent, and supportive wife that she was, she waited until Prophet Muhammad’s anxiety had abated before asking about its cause. After the experience was told, Khadijah said, “Allah will not let you down because you are kind to relatives, you speak only the truth, you help the poor, the orphans, and the needy, and you are an honest man”. Later, she consulted with her cousin Waraqa, who possessed admirable knowledge about revelation and scripture, and he confirmed the truth: “Muhammad is the expected Prophet.”

After that, Prophet Muhammad began receiving revelations. His first convert was Khadijah , who not only believed in him without hesitation but also helped spread the message of Islam. The next two converts were Ali bin Abi Talib (cousin) and Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (close friend). The Prophet was reported to have said that everyone whom he approached with the message of Islam took their time answering his message – except Abu Bakr , who was unhesitating; this is why he will always be remembered as Al-Siddiq, or The Believer.

For three years, the Prophet only made da’waah within his own family and close friends. However, he was finally commanded by Allah to publicize the message in Mecca. When he began sharing his profound message – that there is only one God – a number of men in their community had approached Abu Talib about what Prophet Muhammad was doing. Assuming he only wanted fame, they offered to make Prophet Muhammad a king among them if he would end his efforts. When Abu Talib approached Prophet Muhammad about the matter, the Prophet told him that they could offer to place the moon in his right hand and the sun in his left, and he would still not defy Allah’s command.

Poor and unprotected converts were subjected to horrible torture by the disbelievers; these disbelieving Meccans assumed that the rise of Islam would be their downfall, a prospect that encouraged hostility of the worst kind. The powerful and ruthless Umar ibn Al-Khattab was among their number, and yet he converted later: his story is nothing short of miraculous.

Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s belligerence to Islam was well-known; he resolved to defend the traditional religion of Arabia and was said to have been adamant in persecuting the Muslims. He saw the new monotheistic religion as a cause of discord and disunity for the tribe of Quraish, and when the message began to spread, he decided that the only solution was to kill Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He said to himself, “Here is a man who has split the people. People lived smoothly enough. He appeared on the scene. He has torn son from father and brother from brother. Now his followers are running away to another land. Surely Muhammad is the cause of all trouble. I must slay him and put an end to the trouble.”

On his way to the Prophet’s dwelling with his sword in tow, Umar was met by a fellow Quraishi who laughed when he heard the murderous plans. “Set your own house in order first,” he said, “your sister and her husband have converted to Islam”. After hearing such shocking news, Umar changed course and made for his sister Fatima’s house. Upon his arrival, he found the two newly-converted Muslims reading Surat Taha. He began to beat his brother-in-law cruelly and furiously; Fatima bravely ran to help and was struck on the head. She began to bleed, and the couple shouted together, “Yes, we have become Muslims. Do what you will!”

At the sight of the blood on his sister’s head, Umar felt remorse for his actions. He asked to take a look at the Qur’anic verse. Fatima told him to go cleanse himself first before being able to read the Holy Book. He did as he was asked, and upon his return Fatima noticed that her brother was calmer. She handed him the pages of the Qur’an, and Umar sat down to read. After a few moments, struck by the beauty and divinity of the verses, he began weeping: “Surely this is the word of Allah!”

Umar proceeded to make his way to the Prophet’s house once more, yet for a different cause. He converted to Islam, and the Muslims were filled with great joy, for one of Islam’s greatest enemies had now become a follower.

The Prophet’s message continued to spread, particularly after Umar’s conversion, and opposition to him grew and was led by Amr ibn Hisham (better known as Abu Jahl, or “Father of Ignorance”). His methods of torture grew so severe that Summayyah, one of the earliest converts, died as the first martyr of Islam. Prophet Muhammad himself was unharmed, as his uncle, Abu Talib, was a prominent member of Mecca and protected him unfailingly. But Muhammad was left on his own when both Abu Talib and Khadijah died in the year 619 AD. Little did he know that his biggest undertaking was yet to come: Hijra – his migration to the city of Medina.

MuslimGirl.net is covering the entire history of the Islamic Empire in the 30 days of Ramadan 2009! Click here to see the entire series.

It is widely known that before Islam, women were considered inferior to men in every aspect; they were more sex objects than anything else, and they were commonly unacknowledged as individual beings. It was a shame for a baby girl to be born – the infant would be buried alive. Buried alive, just for the crime of being female! But God sent Islam and liberated women from all this mistreatment. Islam tore off the chains that bound us, and set us free from the cage of masculine injustice.

Fast forward to today. Not only are we living in a time of “Neo-Jahiliyyah” (New Darkness), but women are helping speed up the process! It’s strange, but sometimes what you want turns out to be exactly what isn’t good for you, although many girls haven’t realized it. They crave attention from men and obtain it with revealing clothing, make up, jewelry, etc. And those independent, spirited women have only reached their places in society today by fighting decades and even centuries of hardship.  Take America for example: before the Women’s Rights Movement, women were supposed to stay at home to cook, clean, and tend to the children. They were only educated from ages 9-12, while men recieved full schooling. Those females who were forced to go out and find work were paid very low salaries and given few hours compared to men. Only after did they unite and fight were they given a fraction of the rights they enjoy today, and even now there are still struggles for women’s equality! You’d think that now that we are in the 21st century, situations would be entirely different and mind frames would be changed. It’s a shame that we can’t say that for all cases in America, and even less for other countries around the world.

It’s also a shame that people can’t just look to Islam for the answers. Islam is, as was said before, a beautiful and perfect religion. It liberated women 1400 years ago, when it was first revealed.

Islam gave women the human right of equality to men. Now, just because women and men have different obligations doesn’t mean that either one is superior or inferior. It’s like trying to compare a hammer to a saw and saying that a saw is better because it cuts or a hammer is better because it smashes. They are used for different things, so neither is greater than the other. Islam showed us that, and also asserted that women aren’t “evil” by nature as some may assume.

Women were also given the civil right of individuality by expression and the social right (and obligation) of education. On any public matter, a woman may give her opinion and participate in politics. She may also hold position in goverment; Abdul-Rahman ibn Auf was said to have consulted with many women before recommending Uthman ibn Affan for the caliphate.

Islam fosters the idea that a woman’s first care is to raise children and support her husband, yet if she has the capabilities to work outside the house she may do so as long as family obligations are met. Let’s not forget that the Prophet’s first wife was a business woman (who happened to propose to him)! A woman also has the right to earn money (which she is not obliged to spend on the family, for the man must be of support monetarily), own property, and manage assets in whatever way she would like to. What other religion (or society) has offered women as much as that, for longer than an entire millennium?

As a wife, a woman has the right to be treated with care and kindness, as well as be given support by all means regardless of her wealth.

Finally, and importantly, the hijab is an obligation for women as a way to protect her from lustful stares and liberate her from social standards of attractiveness. As a hijabi, I always feel very protected by the headscarf and I don’t feel like I have to prove myself to be as beautiful as a model on a magazine. The Qur’an states, “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested.” (33:59) The Prophet said, “Allah, Most High, is Ha’yeii (Bashful), Sit’teer (Shielder). He loves Haya’ (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding; Covering).”

Looking at the true and noble values of Islam, it’s AMAZING how much we were given, and how humans have distorted it with the dark side of culture and tradition. As always, we look to the example of Prophet Muhammad for how we should live our lives, so here is what said about women in Islam:

The Prophet said, “Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim (male and female).”

Of motherhood, “Heaven lies under the feet of the mothers.”

Of marriage, “The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives.”

Source: Islam101

That’s a double whammy when teamed up with my sensitive skin. The first time I used an acne medicine, my face turned as red as my mom’s shesh -kabob’ed tomatoes and swelled up into an itchy, leathery mess. I can’t use a single face wash, pimple cream, or acne medication because I get an allergic reaction from all of them.

So, I thought that all of that would make me an unlikely candidate for receiving an “ooh, you have such great skin!” compliment… until a few days ago, when I walked into the kitchen and my entire family turned to stare at me. “Look how much your skin cleared up!” my mother cooed. It was even more shocking when my little brother, the kid who taunts me 24/7, acknowledged the tremendous improvement as well. “What’d you use?” he asked.

“Wudu (ablution),” I replied with a smile.

Really, ablution is a tremendous healer for me. Foremost, it keeps you pure and prevents sickness since you’re basically cleansing yourself five times a day. But, then you can have a power combo when you use supplication with your ablution.

When I wash my face during ablution, I say three times, “Ya Rab (Oh God), let my face clear up.” They say Proactiv takes up to two weeks to see results, but I saw results within only five days of repeating this step daily. Subhan’Allah!

Other supplications I use constantly during ablution:

• Washing hands: “Ya Rab, let these hands write a great term paper.” — Awesome for those essays that you really can’t bring yourself to start, or feel less-than-great about.
• Washing mouth: “Ya Rab, let me maintain control of my tongue.” — For umaka, umaka, umaka purposes.
• Washing mouth: “Ya Rab, let me always speak eloquently.” — I’m into debates and public speaking, so I feel this one’s a must.
• Wetting hair: “Ya Rab, strengthen my hair.” — For those sisters always sporting straightened or styled hair under their scarves
• Cleaning ears: “Ya Rab, let me hear only things that are hilal.” — Trying to steer clear of gossip.
• Washing feet: “Ya Rab, heal my feet.” — Used the most during the summer months, when wearing sandals everyday definitely takes its toll.

Subhan’Allah, Allah gives us countless opportunities everyday to seek his assistance, and He’s more generous than we can ever imagine when He administers it. His decrees are more powerful healers than even the most advanced of medicine. When the next prayer begins, insha’Allah, get up and make supplication during your ablutions. See for yourself the tremendous impact they can make.

A person came crying and weeping to Shaikh Shiblee and said, ‘O Shaikh, I have destroyed myself; make supplication for me that may Allah take me away from this world.’

People whose relationship with Allah is strong will never ever dream of committing suicide. Those people who enjoy the pleasures of this world – alcohol, drug, women, dubbing, etc. – are the people who will ultimately, want to commit suicide because they will get sick of this world. Those who enjoy the pleasures of this world by committing sins will be surrounded by problems from all four sides. They have brought these problems upon themselves through disobedience to Allah .

Such people begin to feel they will only find peace if they are dead. An Urdu poet once said, “Now, out of fear, you desire to die, [but] even after death, if you do not find peace, where will you go?”

Now, overpowered by calamities and problems, you desire to die and you consider death a solution to all your problems, but if, after death, you do not find peace in the grave, if you do not find peace on the Day of Judgement, if you do not find peace on the Bride over Hell and you are deprived of entry to Heaven, then where will you go?

So the person said to Shaikh Shiblee, ‘I have a big problem. Make supplication that may Allah take me away from this world.’

The Shaikh said, ‘Calm down, take it easy, what is the problem?’

He replied, ‘I had a very close friend, and I loved him very much. We were friends for a very long time. He sacrificed everything for me and I sacrificed everything for him. I had never thought that he will ever leave me but he has left me. Now my heart is empty. I cannot survive without him. I love him so much that I want him back, and if I cannot have him back, then I want to die.’

The Shaikh soothed him and asked him to calm down saying, ‘Look, there is no need to lose hope. Why do you want to die when there is a solution to your problem?’

He quickly said, very happily, ‘Tell me what the solution is, tell me quickly! Since he has left me I have not been eating, drinking or sleeping. There is no joy in my life. Please tell me quickly.’

The Shaikh replied, ‘The only way to forget a friend who has left you is to make a new friend.’

He said, ‘O Shaikh, after ten to fifteen years of loyal friendship, he has left me and I am suffering, and you are telling me to make a new friend. I fear that if the same thing happens, then what will become of me?’

Shaikh Shiblee said, ‘What if I find you a friend who will never leave you? In fact, if you are disloyal to him and after years of disloyalty, you go back to him saying, “O my friend! Forgive me, I want to be your friend again,” he will immediately accept you again as a friend.’ He said, ‘O Shaikh! Show me this friend! Who is this friend that is so loyal?’

The Shaikh replied, ‘Turn to Allah and make friendship with Him.’

As Sheikh Hamza Yusuf notes in Purification of the Heart, “Divine order woven in the fabric of existence[….]”  We live in a state of self-gratification; everything good comes from us and everything bad comes from God, or the higher power, or just bad luck, when in fact the opposite is true.  We fail to realize that our carefully thought out plan can be unfurled with God’s one decree.  In this case, the houses were built with an understanding of the low temperatures.  And just in a few minutes, every one woke up in awe to the sun rays cascading through their windows.

Time is irrelevant, we need to prepare for the next moment rather than next week.  In God’s plan, we might be made kings or find ourselves underneath the sand.

I believe the best action is to reflect on the location of the disease. Where is it? I recently went to a predominantly Muslim area where every corner celebrated the blessings of Allah with the call to prayer sounding throughout the morning and the night, where people went in an out of the mosques, where Friday was still considered the holiest day of the week. What a sight it was to see the men and women all doing their best to adhere to the standards so they could live a better life. It was then that I noticed the stench. Where was it coming from?

It does not take more than a clear vision to see the dark corners. While some of us might bow down to pray every day and take off the Qur’an from our shelves, our hearts are inflicted and our souls are suffering. Our tongues say one thing and our hands do another. We claim to follow the Word of Allah and yet we keep the Qur’an on our shelves, and when we do open it, our lips just graze the words without any understanding. We put it back on the shelf and then walk towards the path of lies and gossips. Our cell-phones flip open and we began to wonder if there was something we missed while we were away. When someone speaks the Truth we lend our ears but our hearts continue to rot.

While we are busy pointing fingers at the faults of others, have we been listening to our whispers? What words do we hear and what actions do we do? The diseases of the heart are disintegrating our bodies. We have to fix it before we become the rotting corpses in this world and the lamenting in the Hereafter.

I was wrong, though. Of course I was. And I still clearly remember the event that changed my mind.

A private Islamic school in my community was holding a “Sisters’ Night” – an all-girls night where we would be permitted to don flashy dresses and let our hair down for all to see. My friends, sisters, and sisters’ friends were all going, so I was excited; I even had a “little black dress” to wear. I expected to have fun, but I didn’t know that I would finally have an answer to a question that would change me, my perception of hijab and Muslim women, and my life.

Excited, I dashed to the entrance of the building at the designated time, flung open the door, and gasped… I didn’t know anyone there. Wait, I did! In fact, upon closer observation, I recognized quite a lot of the faces I had thought to be unfamiliar at first sight!

Subhan’Allah! What a difference flowing hair and bright colors make. It was then that I realized, not for the first time, that Allah is All-Knowing. The girls were stunningly beautiful, especially the hijabis who normally wore very loose clothing and dull colors. Certainly, everyone had let their hair down in every sense of the phrase.

I had always loved the hijab, despite my doubt, but now I wear it with ten times more pride. Instead of laying out my beauties for all to see and enjoy, I’m reserving it only for certain people who are allowed the privilege. And my thoughts about the head scarf always lead back to the same analogy – diamonds. A bullet-proof, glass case is to a diamond as the hijab is to a girl!

And when you ask them (the Prophet’s wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and their hearts.’ (33:53)

It is sad that we don’t even stop to think about making supplication (dua) to Allah for these things, Allah who is the All-Mighty, the All-Powerful. And even if we do, it’s always seen as a last resort, after every possible attempt has failed. Or even worse: we believe that we are self-sufficient enough to make things happen ourselves and simply neglect supplication altogether.

My sisters in Islam, supplication isn’t just a prayer that we perform whenever we are in need of something. It isn’t just a religious ritual that is practiced from time to time. Supplication is a personal conversation with Allah (SWT), the most uplifting, powerful, and transforming conversation we could ever have. Whenever we are lonely and need of someone, He is there; whenever we don’t know who to turn to for our problems, He is there. Allah is the All-Knowing and the Most Merciful, and He will ALWAYS be around to listen to us. “And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 186). How simple and beautiful could supplication possibly get?

Supplication is the weapon of the believer and the essence of worship. Supplication could help change fate, while we cannot; it solidifies a Muslim’s belief in the power and oneness of Allah (SWT), and shuns away all other false entities and doubts. Supplication cleanses our heart from anxiety, worry, and hatred, and makes us feel at peace with ourselves; we come out of it as stronger and happier people. In fact, the best supplication is probably one of repentance, for Allah is the Most Gracious and Most Merciful, and He loves those who seek for His forgiveness. After all, one could never repent too much!

With supplication we should not just ask for big things that matter to us, but the little things as well, for there is nothing too big or small for Allah to handle. We should also make supplication in times of happiness and comfort, as we do during those of distress and worry. In fact, Prophet Muhammad states in a hadith: “Whosoever desires that Allah answers his supplications in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful supplication in days of ease and comfort.” We should always thank Allah for the wonderful blessings He gave us, like family and shelter, because it is too often that we take them for granted and don’t appreciate them until they’re gone.

While we may make supplication for the things that we want in this world, we should also seek for those in the hereafter. After all, we are continuously on a journey, as our life on Earth is only temporary, while our life in the hereafter will be everlasting. This situation is like going to a king who gives you the chance to ask him for whatever you want, only to tell him, “I wish you could show me the way to the bathroom!” However, we should always balance our supplications, because as important as the hereafter is, we also need Allah (SWT)’s help to live a good life here as well.

Never neglect supplication. Don’t ever feel like it’s a burden to do, asking Allah for help at all times, because supplication is truly a powerful form of worship and could transform your outlook on life completely. At some times, whenever I’m stressed or filled with anxiety, I make supplication and my emotions suddenly sink into a more peaceful mood – its like I never had any problems to begin with. Not only do you have a conversation with Allah directly, but you also build up a closer relationship with Him. I believe that if we all put in the effort to make supplication a daily practice in our lives, we will see a positive change in ourselves and our connection with Islam.

Ramadan is less than three weeks away, so let’s all aim to make supplication as much as possible during this blessed month, so we could gain as many rewards as we can and get into the habit of this beautiful practice, insha Allah.

And as always, I remind myself before I remind anyone else.

May Allah accept all our supplications. Ameen.